Popcicle

Outside playing in the backyard - you worked up quite a sweat this afternoon!

We came inside for a popcicle. You don't really like to eat "tode" (cold) things, but I think you were so hot and it tasted so good. You made an exception.

You were a bit of a ham for the camera today. At first you were eating and looking out the window - but when you noticed me you started to play it up.

Your usually furrowed brow disappeared and you started to smile. Handsome devil!
Then it was time to get back to business (mostly). No point in letting a perfectly good popcicle melt away...

Dinner at the Beach with Smores!

This morning we took a trip to Esquimalt Lagoon to take the dog for a walk. It was kind of windy, but pretty nice out. While we were on the beach - I thought it would be fun to have a fire and cook hotdogs for dinner there later on.

So after naptime, we went by the grocery store and picked up our supplies and headed down to the beach for dinner! It was still a bit windy so it took Dad a bit of time to get the fire going. But once it started up we were in business!
YUMMY! Chomp, chomp...

You seemed to enjoy this novelty of eating at the beach - although you were somewhat distracted from food as there was lots of other things to do there. Shayne and Kellie and Chloe and Dakota came down to hang out with us and get in on the s'mores!

They were seriously perfect and delicious! They were a bit tricky for Ethan to eat - so I helped him with his - then we roasted him up a couple of marshmallows which was just as spectacular in his eyes!

Here we all are around the fire.
Here is Ethan's messy beach face. Awesome! I'm sure we will be doing this a few times more this summer!

Lawnmower

Lots of your toys have started to migrate outside as the weather gets better. All of the balls and sport items are now in the backyard instead of the living room... We try to keep everything under the deck in case it rains, or for when we need to mow the lawn. You are always scrambling around down there to get at things and drag them all over the yard.

Since it is spring and we have had to do a lot more yardwork you have become very interested in these outside tools. There were a couple of play lawnmowers at your friend Nolan's house - and you enjoyed them so much that we thought we should get you one for our back yard.

So you mow. And mow and mow. And dig and rake once and a while. But mostly mow. You have been somewhat obsessed with lawnmowers for the last month.

I wish that thing really worked. Cutting the grass for real in our backyard takes a while...

Big Baby

Darren came over with Bryden to visit. You really liked his car seat and decided that you needed to try it out. I can't believe how big you look in that crazy thing.

Sometimes we try to hold you like a baby and rock saying, "Baby Ethan, ohhh baby Ethan". You hate it most of the time unless you are feeling really needy/cuddle-y. Most of the time - according to you - you are officially a big boy now.
Well, we have also been collecting our baby things that we loaned out to start getting ready for the new arrival... Holly returned our Baby Bjorn carrier to us...
Dad thought he would stuff you in it and take you for a spin around the house. When you saw yourself in the mirror you started howling. So did we!

Days Now...

Last year, about this time, I did a post about what Ethan's day to day life was like. I guess its time for an update...

When we get up in the morning (hopefully not too early...usually around 6:30 or 7) we sit around in our PJ's and have milk, fruit and breakfast. You usually putter around and pull out a lot of books and toys while I do things like put on laundry and the dishwasher. Then, we get dressed for the day. This can take anywhere from 10 minutes to 1 hour depending on if I need to shower, and what your mood is like/how cooperative you feel/how many toys you have pulled out that need to be put away.
We usually go for a dog walk around 8:30ish - you usually go in the stroller and we walk Cooper down the hill to the Gorge Waterway and along the path until we get to the playground near Tillicum. We stop and play fetch (as seen in these pictures) or muck around on the playground or play with other kids if there are any out that early (not very often). Then we walk by Fairways and pick up any small items that we might need - and maybe share a honeybun on the way home.Other times...if I need to take a big trip to the grocery store, or if we have plans/appointments to make it to mid-morning, or I am feeling really lazy/sore/pregnant/in need of a mocha from a cafe...we drive to the park at the other end of the Waterway and play at the park/playground with the dog before our errand. Then we go home and have a snack while I make lunch and pack your diaper bag.Mid-morning - usually by 10am - we leave the house again for an outing. Mondays we usually go to Kindergym at Esquimalt Rec Centre. Tuesdays I work, so you and Mormor run errands or go to Playgroup. Wednesdays we used to go to a Playgroup all of the time, but you seemed to outgrow it and instead we meet friends and go play outside since the weather is getting nicer. Thursdays we either go to Nolan's house, or you sometimes have friends come over to play. Fridays we try to get together with friends again or get any errands done before the weekend comes and Daddy is home!
Mostly, we eat lunch on the road because I have it packed up and you tend to be starving after playing. Sometimes we will come home and eat to meet Dad, or if our outing time was shortened due to bad weather or somebody getting tired or cranky. After lunch it is time to come home and have a nap. You go to sleep around 12:30 (give or take a 1/2 hour either way) and you sleep until 2:30 or 3 in the afternoon. I work and try to relax a bit during this time (or get a head start on dinner if I feel like cooking - which I don't very often while I am pregnant).
Shortly after nap time, Daddy comes home from work - so you have some milk and share a snack with him when you get up. We usually try to get out of the house again - to the park, or for a dog walk. We have gone out to eat a lot lately because I don't feel like cooking... we don't go anywhere fancy - to the food fair at the mall, or to a concession at a ball park for burgers. We just mostly hang out together and do random fun things.

Plane/helicopter/jet spotting - a favourite pastime!

We come home by 6:30 at the latest to do your "sleep routine". Usually when you get undressed - you take your daily pee in the potty and flush now, which you enjoy. Dad gives you a bath while I tidy up and get your PJ's ready. We play in the living room while you dry off and get dressed - and then it is time to go and "reat" (read) a few books in the big chair in your room and go to bed by 7 or 7:30. Sleep tight!

On the Weekend...

This weekend, Troy was in a ball tournament so we went to watch a bit of it. It was Ethan's lucky day - as his friend Spencer was there WITH HIS WAGON! They seemed to enjoy themselves playing in there and sharing milk and toys. How nice!

Here is Ethan by his toy drawers that Fred built for us. These drawers hold almost all of Ethan's toys so we have a living room that does not look like it had a plastic explosion in it all of the time.
Nice hat! "But-et?" (Bucket) We always clean up all the toys after Ethan has gone to bed. Here we are on Sunday morning starting to pull all of the toys out of the drawers only a few moments after getting up for the day. He's lucky he is so cute. Happy Mother's Day everyone!

Sun and Bubbles

Ethan still loves the swings. He will sit in there for 1/2 an hour. Sometimes he starts to kind of look sick - and if you ask him if he wants up he screams "SWEENG, SWEENG!". So, that's a no...

One of his new words is "didder" (digger). This goes with truck and tractor - previously all known as "lan-moder" (lawnmower). For a while after he learned what a lawnmower was - everything with wheels on it was referred to as lawnmower. Even older or handicapped people in scooters were riding lawnmowers. Don't you love how kids are not shy about screaming things like that out loud...
And he is still really into the bubbles...I guess that one lasts a while - I know I still like blowing them!

19 Months Old!

You have been full of sunshine this past month. I really feel like good sleep habits can make a difference in a personality - and you have been sleeping well! Its probably all of the running around and fresh air that you get that causes you to go into a coma-like state when we put you in your crib...

You are overflowing with silly. It seems to be your mission in life to capture people's attention and try to make them laugh once you have it. You are full of weird noises, crazy movements and funny comments. Alot of the time you are humorous by accident, but you catch on quick to what people are smiling about.
It is so fun to hear you speak finally - and you make the most bizarre connections between things. You'll see a picture of a crab, and say "beach" and "Alex" because when we were at the beach you and Alex picked up crabs from under rocks and put them in your little buckets. Your memory is amazing and it is crazy to watch the web of your brain get built with all of these experiences we have together.
Now that you are turning into such a fun little person - you have Dad racing home faster than ever! When you wake up on the weekdays you ask, "Daddy home?", and I have to say no - he's at work. You repeat, "werk" thoughtfully - until the weekend when he runs in to your room to get you at first stirring. Than you squeal, "Daddy home!". And the fun of another day begins...

We love it, and we love you.

Mama

Helmet

You are a bit of a kook. One of your new favorite words this week is "hemet" (helmet). This is your Dad's sparring helmet and it is kept on the top shelf of our coat closet in the hall/dining area. You frequently ask for it to be removed from the closet so you may wear it just because.

You point to the top shelf and say, "Hemet, hemet!" and I say,"Say please..." and you say, "Hemet! Ha-Pees!" nodding your head furiously with every syllable. Its awesome.